A woman who allegedly sold overpriced medicine against COVID-19 in Cebu City has been arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
In a statement issued on Friday, Sept. 17, NBI Officer-in-Charge Director Eric B. Distor identified the arrested suspect as Cherry R. Jalaron who reportedly sold to an NBI poseur buyer for P97,000 one vial of Tocilizumab, “a medicine found to be effective in reducing mortality rate of severe COVID-19.”
The NBI said Jalaron was arrested last Sept. 13 during an entrapment operation conducted by the NBI’s Central Visayas Regional Office (NBI-CEVRO).in Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City.
It said that Jalaron personally gave one vial of Tocilizumab and received the P97,000 in marked money as payment.
It said the operation was conducted on request of Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (PAV) Secretary Michael Dino who tasked NBI-CEVRO “to pursue the lead on a certain Karen Go, who is allegedly engaged in the illegal selling of Tocilizumab.”
“After surveillance and verification, NBI-CEVRO confirmed the illegal activity,” the NBI said.
“According to the arrested Subject, she is the secretary of Karen Go and was instructed by the latter to deliver the medicine,” it said.
With her arrest, the NBI-CEVRO charged Jalaron with violation of Section 24 in relation to Section 25 of Republic Act No. 9502, the Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008.
Also named as co-respondent was Go who remained at large, the NBI said.